Demetri Goodson’s driving layup with 0.9 seconds remaining to lead Gonzaga to a thrilling win over Western Kentucky.
Goodson’s shot came moments after Western Kentucky tied the game on Steffphon Pettigrew’s put-back.
Here are the highlights:
Western Kentucky head coach Ken McDonald tried to call timeout after Goodson’s shot, but the officials didn’t see him. McDonald probably should have called timeout to set up Western Kentucky’s defense after Pettigrew’s basket.
I love the Hilltoppers and picked it to beat Gonzaga in several of my pools. Orlando Mendez-Valdez scored 25 points and had seven assists to lead WKU in his final college game.
Goodson had a solid freshman season and will be a star next season. He looked better than Jeremy Pargo in the few games I saw the Zags play this season, including the game against Memphis.
Michigan’s Zack Novak stood his ground with Blake Griffin coming at him on the break – not smart. Here is Blake Griffin unleashing another spectacular dunk…
Griffin scored 33 points and grabbed 17 rebounds to lead (2) Oklahoma to a 73-63 win over (10) Michigan. The Wolverines showed the Sooners what physical play is all about, essentially beating the hell out of Griffin.
Manny Harris struggled for Michigan, finishing with 11 points on 3-9 shooting. DeShawn Sims and Anthony Wright played well, but the Wolverines simply couldn’t stop Blake Griffin.
Oklahoma will be tough to stop if its role players step up. Austin Johnson and Willie Warren played well, but Oklahoma needs more from Crocker and Juan Pattillo.
The long sleeves aren’t helping Crocker’s shot. He is shooting just 39 percent this season after shooting around 45 percent during his first two seasons in Norman.
James will battle Duke's Gerald Henderson and Kyle Singler today in Philly. (Getty Images)
(7) Texas meets (2) Duke later tonight in East Region action with a berth in the Sweet 16 on the line.
Texas advanced by knocking off Minnesota Thursday behind 26 points from senior guard A.J. Abrams. Duke blasted Binghamton to move on.
The Longhorns will need big games from Abrams and F Damion James to pull off the upset. Abrams is much better than any of Duke’s guards, but James will have a tough time against Gerald Henderson and Kyle Singler.
Henderson is one of the few players in college basketball who can match James’ athleticism.
The key to the game is Texas C Antonio Pittman. The 6′ 10″ 300 pounder has a huge advantage inside against Duke. He struggles with conditioning and foul trouble, but was dominant at times late in the season. He needs to stay on the floor.
Duke can beat any team in the country – if it makes 3-pointers. The Blue Devils played much better defensively down the stretch, but will need to clamp down on Abrams today.
Singler and Henderson should play well, but Duke needs to find a third option offensively. Jon Scheyer is the most likely candidate.
I like Duke to win in what will probably be a very close game. The Blue Devils are the better team, and have played with more toughness lately.
(12) Wisconsin knocked off (5) FSU 61-59 in overtime Friday night in Boise. The Badgers became the third 12 seed to defeat a five seed in this year’s NCAA tournament.
Trevon Hughes gave the Badgers the lead with a wild, spinning drive with just over two seconds remaining in OT.
(13) Cleveland State jumped on (4) Wake Forest early and coasted to a 84-69 victory.
Cedric Jackson vastly outplayed Jeff Teague and finished with 19 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists. Norris Cole and J’Nathan Bullock also had strong games for the Vikings.
Here are the highlights:
I saw the Cleveland State play a couple times this season and was impressed, so I picked them in a few of my brackets. Wake Forest has tons of talent, but is very inconsistent and seems to lack chemistry.
The Vikings look to earn a berth in the Sweet 16 for the second time in school history Sunday against Arizona. The Wildcats beat over-seeded Utah to advance.
Sunday’s game features a great point guard matchup, with Jackson facing Arizona’s Nic Wise. Both players are very quick and explosive, so it should be fun to watch.
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